Baytown, TX

Sunday September 14, 2008 - 8:45am

Woke up (WIDE AWAKE) around 6:30 and jumped out of bed ready to work! Too bad...thunderstorms rolling in (more feeder bands from Ike) and I've only got minutes before the bottom drops out of those clouds!

Went next door to assess the damage. Tree did bust through the roof in 2 places that I can see. I'm going to need: Sheetrock & paint all ceiling & ½ the walls in the living room, Couple of joists & beams in the attic, couple of squares of decking and shingles, carpet in 3 rooms and baseboards in the living room & part of the dining room.

Moved tenant's big screen & wedding pictures out of harms way.

Obviously, with these storms, we're not going to remove the tree just yet! (dammit!)

I did clear out a good amount of limbs from my back yard...should only have about another 15-20 minutes back there and another ½ hour next door in the back yard & I'll be done with limbs (other than those attached to the downed trees).

I REALLY hope insurance will cover MY roof as well. Not sure about their criteria, as I'm not much of an insurance kind of person, but I had damage from falling limbs, 1 leak and about 10-15% shingle loss. We'll see!

60% chance of rain today (all day) but "heave rain" should have already gone through this morning. High of 83 Monday & Tuesday...that will help!

Mayor made a report about crime (and the rumors of looting). Police chief reported that 30 arrests had been made. When he broke it down, there were 4 liquor store robberies, 2 pawn shops, 3 domestic violence...all were your regular, every day police calls, NOT LOOTING! Mayor made a good point, "I wish I could say liquor stores don't get robbed in major cities across America but they do! And that doesn't constitute looting!" He also thanked the citizens of our community for already having much of the debris stacked next to the curbs...most have removed it from the roads & gutters, allowing water to run off and traffic to flow.

I have noticed an enhanced sense of pride in cleaning my yards as well. I already take pride in my yard but this is different. I feel a duty to my neighbors to get my yard back in order asap.

3:45pm

I'm one tired bitch!

Since my plans to start chopping up a tree @ 8am were foiled by mother nature, I decided not to waste the mood and used the energy to clear all limbs from my back yard (besides the 2 that are too heavy & require the use of my stepdad's chainsaw). Since it wouldn't stop raining, I was forced to do this all in pouring rain and lightening - which I DO NOT RECOMMEND!! There was nothing safe about it and it was pretty trying on the nerves! I finished right about the time the rain stopped and was plum BEAT (another southern term, I believe, like ‘hunker down'). Thought it would be a good time to walk the dogs before it started raining again.

We walked to the waterfront part of our neighborhood...the point at the back of our neighborhood where water was rising 24 hours prior to storm arrival!! THIS is our "ground zero!!" I have no other words for it...there's no way for me to put it into words and these pictures, as shocking as they may be, really do it no justice.

The storm surge must have come just below the roof lines of most of these homes because the roofs are in no worse shape than the rest of the neighborhood...BUT - the houses are all completely stripped to the studs by the surging water! If it wasn't attached to the slab, chances are it was strewn about the neighborhood or drawn out to sea by the tide. This house is right on the point.

The highest concentration of this debris - consisting of splintered lumber, bricks, shingles, appliances, personal belongings & furniture from these homes, as well as homes from no telling how far away and many elements of the surrounding landscape - remained mostly where the water crested...these temporary dunes where debris was pushed to a high point just before the water receded. Much was caught in garages and in corners of yards with fences, where it floated in above the fence and wasn't able to get back out before the water lowered.

It was dead silent other than the wildlife and the sound of water crashing onto concrete slabs where water heaters, tubs & sinks were ripped from the houses and water was free to flow from the open lines in what used to be walls! I turned off the open line I noticed in the house closest to me, only to realize it was just the only one I could hear at the time...the identical sound was coming from both houses on either side of me. I realized I was fighting a battle I couldn't win. I also realized if water lines were open, gas lines probably were too! Time to jet!!

I really wanted to take pictures but didn't have my camera at the time. If I can make it back out I'll get as many pictures as two AA batteries will allow!

Look around your house...what's in the room you're in right now? What's in your kitchen? Your garage? Attic...study...laundry room...storage shed...workshop??? These are the things I ran across today in places it SHOULD NOT have been...in trees, in yards, in boats, on roofs, on top of cars, collected in corners or yards & inside garages and patios! To top it off, I saw a dog, looked like a big lab or small Great Dane, on top of a house! Scared to death, wet, hungry and shaking! The fire department was in the neighborhood checking houses for people, pets or bodies and I left it in their hands. Needless to say, I'll be following up on the dog on the roof later today!

The Pot

I found this to be very disturbing. You might think, it's just a pot with water in it, you idiot...pretty simple, right? Did you notice the spoon in the pot? The spoon got me to thinking...this pot has obviously traveled a great distance for a pot, to have moved from some kitchen (who knows where...the nearest house was about 250' away) and come to rest here, on the side of the road, full of water with a spoon ready to stir. Was this spoon in the pot when it departed the kitchen from which it came? Do you expect me to believe that THIS is the same spoon that was in the pot at that time and not a completely different spoon, from a completely different kitchen in a completely different home? HOW? How could this spoon have made the trip, safely and in-tact for the duration of this pots great journey? Even if the spoon is from another family's house & kitchen...what are the chances it would come to rest here, in THIS POT? For me, this put a ‘face' on the ugliness of all the personal anguish to follow, as residents return to this area to see what's left...and what's not left!!

4:52pm

AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!! I needed that (cold) shower! YES - it's been two days...DON'T YOU JUDGE ME! I've been busy...I'm conserving water...whatever, I don't need an excuse, it was GREAT! I took the shower by candlelight and it was very relaxing...something I should do from time to time even when we have power. The flickering light of the candles was soothing and the relaxing environment did immeasurable good to my mindset. Taking a shower is a great suggestion for anyone in a stressful situation where they're not in control, especially a shower by candlelight! And if it's hot and there's no power, make sure it's a cool or cold shower to bring your core temperature down...it really does wonders!

As great as it was for a meditation break, I ended up spending the second ½ of the shower thinking about the things I still have to do in the immediate future...it's just such a long list of hard work that has to be done...pretty daunting right now, won't be in a couple of days though!

About to go enjoy slow smoked BBQ ribs, tater salad, black-eyed peas & green beans for dinner!! Loving the hurricane menu, though I have been reduced to this good evening meal plus a couple of snacks throughout the day...granola bar, sandwich or something like that.

I was pretty cocky & confident before the storm..."Most overhyped category 2 EVER," I said! Well, it wasn't a horrible storm but it was a HUGE storm with a deadly surge and hours of strong winds...it really did a lot more damage than I expected and all the hype really was justified. I'm not saying everyone needed to leave but some did and many shouldn't come back yet!

Good endorsement for those blinds...durable!!

It's times like these I remember why so many Texans have trucks, SUV's and other "bigger than your average state" vehicles. We were on the roads before the storm even had time to clear out. High winds, sideways rain, slick roads, high water, flying debris & mini-tornadoes...please!!! No match for the Suburbans sittin' in my driveway! Can't tell you how many high-riding, mud tire sporting, more lights than Vegas, 50-gal gas tank in the bed having, lift kit rigs I've seen driving around these past 2 days...that's all I've seen on the road! And THAT's why Texans drive big trucks!

6:06pm

SMELLS LIKE RIBS!!! Good, I'm starving!

Still pretty blown away by the sheer destruction in my subdivision.

Look at the water line on the roof!

Imagine body surfing, if you've ever had the opportunity to go body surfing. You know how it is at the end of that perfect ride...when you catch that big wave right at the crest and it grabs you and carries you as if you're floating...and then crashes you into the surf and tumbles your helpless body out of control until the wave passes & you resurface to swim back out for more torture another perfect ride! From the time that wave grabs you and takes you for a ride, it's very clear that you have no control over the situation whatsoever...the power of the water has you and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it, you're at the mercy of the water. That's how the 2-3' waves in Galveston make my 6'2"/225lb body feel. Now imagine that wave is 15-20' tall and crashing through your front door for 10-12 hours!! This is the only thing I can relate to that storm surge...there was nothing those homeowners could've done to prevent what happened other than get their self and their stuff out of the way altogether. Those houses are just gone...their foundations with studs holding up roofs...everything else is gone!

What really can't be duplicated by word, picture or film is the amount of personal belongings strewn about everywhere...it's in the woods, in trees, on cars & boats, stuck to fences, in the street...everywhere! This is people's LIVES all over their neighbor's lawns and in the streets & ditches! Some folks are coming back to NOTHING! It's impossible for you or me (as close as I am to it all) to imagine, unless you've had it happen to you.

7:20pm

City officials say approximately 2 weeks before electricity will be back on. I would be amazed if we go a week without power...but driving around town, I notice there are HUGE issues with the infrastructure...down to just about every stop light. Those that didn't get blown away altogether have at least one or two lights missing and/or they're hanging on by the last wire that held on through the storm.

This is why our neighborhood has no power. This is one of about 20 just as bad or worse!

9:30pm

Back to candlelight, no a/c or fans and only the sounds of neighbors generators running. Next time, there will be a whole section dedicated to "how much easier this storm was than Ike" because I'll have a generator and be that much more prepared!

It's a very pleasant 65 degrees outside tonight...if I could only get the main room of my home to that temperature, we'll be alright! Bedroom is already adjusted (lots of windows) so sleeping won't be an issue.

I really don't have any complaints overall to this point.

Power is back on in parts of town: ExxonMobil (right away, of course), hospitals/healthcare facilities, businesses in high concentration areas and residences without much damage that were quick & easy to restore.

We were one of the worst hit and, from what I can tell, probably have as much damage as anyone who still has poles (didn't wash away). In addition, we have a relatively small population relative to the rest of the city...we'll probably be one of the last to power back up. I'm hoping for some SERIOUS pull from any city officials, utility workers or contractors living in or with family in the neighborhood to help move us toward the top of the list! And I claim to not rely on government for things...HAH!

Another in our neighborhood. CenterPoint will have to cut down the trees before starting on the lines.

I noticed on the way home from supper that Dollar General near my house has to be THE most popular place in Baytown tonight! Cars are lined up around both corners...I could see what I figured to be about 250 cars before they went around the corner & out of vision. Not sure what they're lined up for that's so popular?? Water...groceries?? HEB is rumored to be open as well. They're supposedly letting in 5 at a time to buy whatever they have on the shelves...no power, no produce or cold stuff and cash only because they can't run the registers.

Personally, I don't want to have to figure out how much you'd have to pay me to go to either place. I bet it's interesting, if you're into that sort of thing...I'm not! Dairy Queen's back up & running with power. Jack in the Box is still down. Jack and his employees left a day before the storm so the families would have time to evacuate (since it was mandatory!). Good for Jack!!

PODS (points of distribution - set up by FEMA, Red Cross, etc) are in the process of being set up tonight & tomorrow. FEMA's responsible to get supplies into Houston and to these PODS to be distributed to other areas and to people that drive up to pick up supplies (water, ice and military food - MRE's, meals ready to eat). Those supplies arrived this afternoon into Houston, 36 hours after the storm.

In my opinion, a LOT of people are working hard for free to get this done and our leaders are having to defend their every decision to these damned reporters every day! Seems to always be one or two in the group that focus on anything negative, no matter how big or small. They've got a hard enough job right now without having to deal with those vultures (but I guess they're used to it by now...part of the job & it comes w/the territory).

Monday September 15, 2008 - 3:21pm

Another busy day moving limbs and trying to put life back together again. Got my contractor lined up to do the work at the rental property. Ball is rolling with insurance claims. Notified Comcast that cable lines are down. Put last week's garbage out (again!). They're supposed to come today, as usual, but I bet it will be slow going with so much volume. Just got a call & contractor's starting demo right now...WOO HOO! That's the biggest benefit of taking care of your contractors on EVERY job! I'll do something for the tenant to make up for the lost week. Although, I hope to have work done only days after power comes on. We'll see how it goes.

I'm exhausted!! The more limbs I move, the more it seems like there are! Did I say only 15-20 minutes more in my back yard and only about 1/2 hour next door in the back yard? Yeah, right!! Didn't realize there were that many limbs to fall in those 2 yards...some could have come from anywhere!

I considered going to a POD today (Dollar General, that was so popular last night...it's a POD! No wonder!) to get ice & water & MREs but I figure it's best to leave it for those who really need it. I get a bag of ice from my mom's freezer each night, have about 10 gallons of water left and a pantry full of canned foods, soups, tuna, peanut butter and bread.

It was sooooooooo pleasant last night I can't wait until the next night that's nice enough to go with no a/c & only windows open...that should be tonight!

I managed to sneak back into ‘ground zero' for pictures...I got quite a few. Cops have that part of the neighborhood blocked off but they haven't figured out the back way yet, so I can still sneak in & snoop around, for now.

I still say these pictures do it no justice but they'll give you a much better description of the destruction than I possibly can.

Saturday September 13, 2008 - 8:40

What a night! This tree (far left, almost out of picture) split down the middle & fell toward my house, knocking down a second tree (both were neighbor's trees!). They both fell onto a tree that leans naturally over my house. Luckily (not so luckily, as I later found out from my insurance adjuster), the tree didn't fall onto or, more importantly, into my house!

THAT was the loud crash I heard but refused to go check on just over 3 hours ago! I thought it went through my roof & into the office (judging by the noise) but I was able to see from inside there was no tree or water penetration into my office!

Guess I can take ‘prune trees' off my spring to do list! WOW!!! There are as many trees & limbs on the ground as there are standing.

Wind still holding around 30mph w/gusts well in the 60's! There's been more rain this morning than all of last night...thought it's a little less sideways now than then!

Without power, I'm worried about when it gets HOT outside (and, inevitably, inside)!

Gas is still working so I can cook on the stove. I'm tired & hungry (already) and anxious to start the cleanup...it's like something burning inside me to get started! Ready to just get back to life! I'm tired of hunkering down!!

Took ‘after' photos of my house for insurance...only real damage is to the roof, which is pretty old anyway.

Called to report downed lines (not supposed to call for outages, they can see that, only downed lines) and insurance claims.

9:00pm

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG DAY!!

Storm was bad until around noon. Removed boards from windows. Moved all limbs from front to street.

City guy was out with a backhoe clearing limbs from the street. We were both out before it even stopped raining. Very surprised to see each other...we both looked up & noticed each other...paused and stared for a second (like if you were to see a Leprechaun riding a unicycle). What is it about those things that make you stop & stare (unicycles)...or is it just me?

I don't mind gathering the big, heavy limbs...it's the mid-sized "not quite small enough to mow but not big enough to waste the effort bending over to pick up" limbs that I can't stand! Just grab and go with the big ones! You've got to gather a big 10x10 area (or more) just to make it worth the trip on those little guys.

Still need to gather limbs from the back yard(s). Not as many smaller ones, mostly the biggies I like!

Should start sawing removing tree from the rental property tomorrow morning around 8am. I'm already BEAT...hope I can get some GOOD sleep in this heat!

Mom has fridge hooked up to generator so I loaded up fridge & freezer contents & dropped off at her house. We grilled ribeyes (gotta love these hard times)!!

Gonna need my "A" computer by Monday! I plan to have this storm behind me and be back in the swing of things asap (next week?)! I was in a good rhythm before the power went off (yes, I worked until Mother Nature made me quit!) and I'm hoping to jump right back into that productive mode...can't lose that mental groove. That being said, after the physical & emotional stress of preparing for, riding out and recovering from a direct hit (category 2 or not), I'll need to take a day off for ME and come back then ready to rock ‘n roll! I think I'll take a trip...gotta love being self-employed!

Need to prevent further damage to the interior of the rental property by removing the tree from the roof & covering it with a tarp before it starts raining again!

Thunderstorms are expected Monday (that's bad news for a lot of people) but a cold front follows (that's VERY good news). This is our first cold front of the year, a month early to boot! Couldn't come at a better time with nearly 2 million people lacking power (heat + humidity + no power = BAD ADDITUDES)! You have to love this Gulf Coast weather...you see, we have a seriously committed (choose whichever meaning you desire) love-hate relationship with Mother Nature! Sometimes it works out in our favor (even if we did just get slammed with a 16' storm surge and 130mph winds!!).

Left a message for insurance company so I'll probably have to call again Monday...they more than likely don't have power either.

Hoping to have a contractor started on the rental property by Monday. It may be tough to get any work done. With so much work needed, anyone who can swing a hammer's going to be booked solid for the next year. For the moment, there are way too many people that will pay 2 & 3 times what the work's worth just to get it done so a contractor knows he can jack up prices for the next few months and still stay busy...getting paid more than usual! I'd just assume hold out until the work's reasonable again...or do it myself, if I can't find anyone.

The tenant's going to need to move back in as soon as the power's back on, so I hope to have it done by then.

Another long day tomorrow. Then I should probably take a day off, physically, if I have the opportunity.

These pictures of my homes are nowhere near the damage sustained by countless others in the immediate and surrounding areas. Tomorrow's entry (from Sunday, 9/14) offers surreal visions of a natural disaster. I was VERY lucky with what you see above!

Wednesday September 10, 2008 - around noon

It's become obvious that in the next 2-4 days we'll either:

Get a category 3+ direct hit

- OR -

Get a category 3+ near miss

Either must be treated exactly the same, as a near miss could actually be worse than a direct hit. It's really just a big (200 miles wide, in Ike's case) tornado. The only questions being how high will the winds & surge get?

Whichever the case (hit or miss), you have one important decision right off the bat...stay or go? My general rule of thumb is leave for a big category 3 or worse. I'll more than likely ride out any category 3 or smaller @ 20' or more above sea level...unless I'm right on the water.

If your decision is to go...GO NOW! Pack up anything that you can't live without, anything that's alive, get as much gas, water, ice and BENEFICIAL food as you can carry and GO!

If you're staying, you're going to need plywood NOW, before it's gone (about 36 hours prior to storm arrival). Get enough to cover all your windows...get more if you can. I got mine a little early today but I'll wait until we know if we need it or not before taking time (about 2 hours) to put it all up.

Time to gas up all vehicles, lawn equipment & gas cans.

Get essential groceries...some of what I got: tuna, bread, crackers, granola, water, ice & peanut butter

Don't forget about your pets! Be sure you have enough water for them (up to a week's worth), treats, toys, bedding...and have it all ready to travel in case you have to leave suddenly. Be sure they get plenty of exercise beforehand...chances are they'll be idle for a few days during & after the storm.

I've got three dogs, err...they've got me! If I go, they go!!!

By the end of the day, news reports will have it pretty well narrowed down to size & approximate landfall location. Definite decision to stay or go by the end of the day today!

Thursday September 11, 2008 - 10:05am

I'M STAYING!! IT'S PREP DAY!!

Time to board up those windows!

Get files together & secure...backup EVERYTHING in as many locations as possible

Have battery powered radio available with extra batteries...and make sure it works beforehand or go get one!

Stay in tune w/TV or radio for updates

Take insurance "before" pictures, inside & out - save in multiple locations & keep on camera

Secure ALL possible projectiles...wind-chimes & hanging plants INSIDE!

Mow yard & clear natural drainage alleys for improved water runoff

Clean house, if you get a chance and remember to get plenty of rest

Friday September 12, 2008 - 9:45am

Just returned from our morning doggie bike ride and walk. New route this morning to the coastline properties in our subdivision back by the boat ramp. These are the properties right on the water...that's bay water, as in Galveston Bay (actually, it's Burnett Bay but it all branches off Galveston Bay). Water is up about 5-8 ft already...piers and lower level streets are under water.

Long day yesterday...slept like a baby last night! Good...I'll need that stored energy later!

We're under mandatory evacuation in this area. My house, though only about 8-10 blocks from the coast, sits about 25-28ft above sea level. It would take one hell of a storm surge, the likes of which we've never seen in this area, to get my floors wet!

At this point, it appears about 20-25% of all residents have decided to leave and ride it out elsewhere.

Looks like about 35-40% of all homes have the windows boarded up and about 1/3 still have their trash on the curb from yesterday's cancelled service (so city workers would have time to evacuate).

Our scheduled limb service isn't set to happen for another week but the city sent a crew through our neighborhood earlier in the week to clear out limbs from another storm that recently blew through & caused quite a bit of damage. Good thing...Ike's a monster and it looks as though we're going to take a direct hit.

I'm amazed at how many ‘projectiles' (in addition to the trash mentioned above) are still in people's yards! People just left town without concern for their belongings...or what their belongings may damage when they fly through their neighbor's car, or house, at about 100MPH!!

There was quite a bit more traffic in the neighborhood this morning than normal. Not sure if it's due to more people being home (work cancelled for evacuation), more people leaving & getting ready to leave or maybe some people up to no good looking for the best places to loot after the storm blows through(??).

Noon

West end of Galveston is under water. We're just getting decent cloud cover & gusty winds about ½ the time. Very hot sunshine, no breeze, the other half of the time.

Expected to start declining in the next 2-4 hours...poo expected to hit the fan around 10-12pm. Eye should hit between 3-6am and it should rain & blow until around noon tomorrow. It should be very bad for about 3-4 hours, calm & quiet for around an hour and then very bad for another 4-6 hours.

I expect to lose about 20% of boards from windows, minor roof damage (shingles) and many limbs down. I just hope no trees fall on the house and no water gets into the house...from above or below!

Hurricanes are a very slow moving phenomenon...a good time to EAT!! Try to avoid the urge to eat. As ‘excited' as you feel, you're actually bored stiff...watching the same information broadcast by the same people over and over again until the next newsworthy event occurs. For 3 days leading up to the storm, updates are coming every 4-6 hours. IF the storm actually comes your way, updates increase to every couple of hours the day of arrival. You sit, watch & listen to the same stuff over & over...and you eat, sometimes without realizing it! I stock up on a bunch of stuff I don't like...so when I go looking for a snack I leave the kitchen discouraged.

You're not only bored but you're stressed. You've just prepared for the worst case scenario, if you're staying, and that can be trying on your noggin! Good time to meditate, if you do that sort of thing. Walk the dogs, watch a movie, mow the yard (you'll be glad you did), read a book, do some work, write a blog, write a poem, clean house...DO ANYTHING BUT EAT!!

Staying away from the news for a while does a lot of good. They like to keep revisiting the worst case scenario on the news.

1:45pm

Just put up both neighbor's trash.

It's awesome when people call and offer you a place to stay during the storm:

• College roommate offered his home in Austin

• A friend & client offered her vacant inventory, away from the coast, for me to stay.

• Grandmother in Oklahoma

• Aunt in Llano

• I was blessed with options

Several friends & neighbors have stopped to say they're near. Everyone makes sure to wave to each other, say "hello" or stop & talk...it's refreshing!

Several neighbors made sure to let me know "we're here if you need us!"

Going for one more bike ride with Buddy. One last indication of how many people are staying, windows boarded, projectiles & trash contained.

4:30pm

City informed us sewage services to be cut off as of 2:30pm. Notified by phone...didn't call me, not sure why?

Filled tub to have extra non-drinking water on hand

Shut off electricity @ rental next door so no fires or any other problems powering up or down arise. Also put boards on windows for tenants...I'm a pretty good landlord!

Tenants went to San Antonio to ride it out.

Contractor & friend I work with just called to see if I was riding it out and if I needed anything. He's staying on of the investor's houses since his family would otherwise have to ride in out in a trailer here in Baytown...good decision!

Nothing like a disaster to remind us there IS a pleasant side to human nature.

Wind is picking up...feels like 30-35mph gusts w/about 20mph maintained.

Clouds covering 90-95% of the time. Very light sprinkling off & on for past 2 hours city wide.

Surge in Galveston is about 12-14ft...just getting to top of 16' seawall (waves are breaking over the seawall).

6:45pm

Wind has picked up significantly. Probably 45-50mph gusts w/30-35 sustained winds.

Few big, old (okay, dead) limbs fell in front yard. A meteorologist last night summed it up best by saying "our coast hasn't had a good 100mph pruning in 25 years!" (Hurricane Alicia)

In addition to the high winds, a big storm surge and tornadoes are the "gotchas" of this storm!

Noticed my main power line has a big, heavy limb leaning on it. When it gusts, the tree leans on it more and puts stress on the pole and on the duck head atop my roof...that can't be good!! I should lose power and will probably have a hole in my roof very soon! Looks like I'll be grilling a LOT in the next 24 hours as my freezer thaws out.

I'm not really afraid of tornadoes. I do what I can to stay out of their way but the way I feel about them...if a tornado gets you, it was just your time to go. There's nothing you can do about it when the time comes, so why worry about it...there's plenty else to worry about in a hurricane that you KNOW is going to effect you for sure!

I officially decided to stay, even with the threat of power failure. I almost went to stay at my mom's house but she won't have A/C either, if power goes out. I wavered for about 2 minutes but I have no regrets about staying...it's too late to turn back now anyway! J

7:05pm

I hate night storms...you can't walk outside & ‘read the skies' to see what's coming. It's just getting dark, one hour early I might add, and it reminded me I'll be up until about midnight tomorrow night! I also like watching the trees to see when/if they fall and do any damage. A lot of times there are little things you can do to remedy a situation that could worsen if not for minor effort.

I partially chose to stay in a non-power situation so I could have a good and accurate first blog!

FORECAST: 70-90MPH sustained winds with gusts up to 130 for 8-12 hours. "Its going to be a very long night" -Frank Billingsley of Channel 2 News

I just jacked the a/c down to 50 to cool this place down as much as I can before going no telling how long without electricity...and no telling when it's going to go out so I should've started cooling it down much sooner!

7:40pm

Pitch black outside!

There seemed to be about 30% population left here in the subdivision when we last rode around. More than half the windows are boarded up and there are still a lot of potential projectiles.

8:15pm

Something empowering about hearing an authority figure explain "you are on your own...we will not come get you!"

Boy the wind is really kicking now! Looks like a storm's a brewin'!

8:45pm

Power's been out about 15 minutes. Surprisingly, the line hasn't snapped (yet). Had to stop & meditate about 10 minutes...reminded myself this is what I prepared for. There's nothing else I can do now but react. So I'm going to take a short power nap and then hunker down for the night!

I'll be surprised if I get power back in the next 36 hours...probably more like 3 days. Like I said, that's what I planned for!

Just realized why I should've got an ice chest full of ice! Guess I'll just eat a LOT of chicken tonight!

CAMPING AT HOME SUCKS!

Next round of events to expect are increased winds, more rain (still not raining here!), a lot of rain, fallen trees & limbs and flooding.

3:30am

Passed out from sheer boredom around midnight! Didn't seem to get much worse from about 9 to 12 but really got hairy about an hour ago (woke me up!).

The eye must be approaching...Yep, just confirmed via radar on my BlackBerry (greatest tool/toy ever!!).

Also just confirmed with a flashlight that a big tree fell through the front door of my rental property next door!

Many big limbs down all around the property and surrounding properties

Will go outside to get a better idea when the eye arrives.

My house seems fine right now.

Sustained winds 50-75 mph with CRAZY 100mph+ gusts.

Insane, sideways, Forrest Gump-like rain. Looks like a movie (but more entertaining and kinda scary).

This has to be the most over-hyped category two of all times! I didn't want those to be my last words so I waited until I was fairly sure I'm going to make it through the storm before mentioning it!

Funny to hear so much resolve in the voices of the radio/TV commentators. No more mass hysteria & panic...everyone seems almost ready to start the cleanup efforts.

4:20am

Okay, I'm bored again!

The calm of the eye is creepy!

I went ahead & moved some limbs around to free up plants & get them off the siding & windows.

Should have another 30-45 minutes of the eye left. I think I'll eat! J

5:05am

I just heard a HUGE CRASH near my office...what the hell was that?

Nothing inside and I'm not going out to check on it yet!

Yesterday a topic was brought up on our local newspaper, The Baytown Sun's forum: http://baytownsun.com/forums.lasso regarding our market and area. I found this discussion very interesting for our area and wanted to post it in my blog for others to see that may have missed it. My screen name is Magnolia Hill and you will see my response in this thread. I thought it was a great topic and discussion for those that are not sure exactly how the forelcosure market in our area works and how it is affecting our area.

Let me know your thoughts on it:

Recession in Baytown

I vividly remember the last time there was a real estate bust in Baytown. This doesn't look anything like it. Housing starts may have slowed, but they are still building new homes everywhere. We keep hearing how bad it is everywhere else in the US, but it appears to not be anything like that on this side of Houston. Even heard a few days ago that Houston might already be back on the upswing. It might also have something to do with the fact that house prices never did get out of touch with reality like they did in Los Angeles. I kinda hate that Houston finally did have to admit there was an east side, and Houston started spreading this way. You can never go back.

Comments in this discussion: 21

Being a Realtor, I will be the first to say that things are definitely different than they used to be but not at all what the media is portraying (or at least not in our "neck of the woods"). In my opinion, we are not in a recession at all. We are simply back to the way the real estate market should have been all along. The last few years have been record years when it comes to real estate. Record high sales, record number of homes sold, record property values and now record foreclosures. The problem with real estate is not what is happening now but what has happened in the last few years...we are just clean up the mess of it now. People were buying homes they could not afford. They were being qualified for loans that they could not afford in the first place, then rolling in their down payment and closing cost. Then after stretching too thin for too long they could no longer take it and stopped paying for the home. By the time it was foreclosed on the balance on the loan was far greater than what the home was actually worth and therefore not making the majority of foreclosures make sense to buy either. Now that the secondary market is history, 100% loans are no longer around and you need at least a decent credit score with money down to buy a home the media is screaming that we are in trouble. People are listening to the news and have been scared to buy and the cost of gas is not helping the matter either. But the truth about our market (Houston/Sugarland/Baytown market) is that we have a risk rating of 5 (the best rating you can get) and a risk index of <1 (the best ranking again) according to the PMI mortgage insurance co. Yes, home sales have slowed down but home values are stable (actually increasing slightly in most parts) and days are the market has decreased slightly when looking at the Houston MLS as a whole. As a matter of fact, the PMI Institute named Baytown/Houston/Sugarland as one of its top 10 less riskiest markets in the United States due to job availability and you can buy without having fear of losing market value. The PMI institute went on to say that Baytown had a 8.8 percent chance of losing market value greater than 10 percent over a 2 year period...this is really great news for our community!!

Again, yes things are different now but I see so many positives that can come out of this if we just continue to learn and take responsibility for our own credit/finances instead of relying on someone else to tell us what we can afford..again, just my opinion! :o)

Magnolia Hill: Thank you. I've believed what you wrote from the beginning.

Whew...glad to hear someone else agrees! Every time I post on here I worry that my message is not going to come out the way I intended and someone will take it wrong! LOL!

I would also like to add that the Associated Press has named the Baytown/Sugarland/Houston area #4 on the top 10 fastest growing cities in the United States...another great mark for our area. we were beat out by Dallas (#1), Atlanta & Phoenix markets.

Magnolia Hill -- thank you for writing an truthful statement..Having real estate broker and agents in my family, and My youngest daughter will be taking her realestate lic. test friday...Yiphee..the market is pretty much stable in our area, and no our area did not get outlandish on our home prices, and finally the mortgage companies that granted the loans to ppl that could not possibly afford homes are now mostly out of business.. Yes there is an housecleaning going on but much needed. Now we can get back to the way things should be if your credit can buy an home that you can afford then it is bought.. Guess folks here in coastal texas are pretty smart after all...

I've been in the residential and commercial construction industry for the last decade. What you don't hear is how diversified the Houston area is when it comes to economy.

Since 1998, Houston has been subjected to many financial hits and actually grew during these times. Most other major cities have suffered economic downturns, but Houston has grown. For example, Enron crash (20k jobs lost), Dynegy layoffs, HP-Compaq merger (more layoffs), 911, slowing stock market, high oil prices and the so-called "national mortgage crisis". These factors hardly have touched our regional economy where in other cities even one of these situations would create, and have brought on, economic breakdown. Because of our diversified economy (manufacturing, technology, aerospace, construction, petrochem, energy, medical, law firms, banking hub and more) we can withstand and repell national economic woes.

As for housing, the Houston area is expecting over 30,000 new housing starts this year. That is new construction. We hit 36,000 in 2003 and then up to 42,000 in 2005-06. Yes there is a slow down, but mostly with the national production builders. They are losing money in markets such as Arizona, California, the Midwest and Northeast. So it will affect us here. Since they are losing money in other markets, they are selling land here to make up for those losses. Houston is the strongest housing and economic market in the nation right now, and it is projected to stay this way well into the next decade. Also, the "housing crisis" is mostly in the entry-level production home ($100k-$170K). Projections for Houston in the $200k+ homes is actually expected to show growth and to this point, it is very strong. It is the subprime and entry-level markets that are taking the hit.

I handle Houston and all the way to New Orleans in my territory, with most of my product going to residential and multi-family construction. My dealers and contractors in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas are reporting a 50% drop so far this year in sales and production. That is huge. Suppliers and builders alike are tightening their belts and ensuring they will be around by the end of the year. This is not the case in Houston. Yes, sales are down, but look at the overall numbers and you will see that we are strong and on a steady and profitable pace. The days of subprime loans are gone, only marginal and good credit ratings will get you in a home, unless you have a lot of money to put down (20% or more).

So with Houston's economy, we are the shining star in the American Economy. People are relocating here every day because of a strong emplyment market and the technology companies setting roots here. I hope this gives you a little comfort. You are living the only major US city that has a growing and prosperous economy.

I still think the shady mortgage companies are mostly to blame for the subprime debacle. Nobody seems to agree with me, but I still believe that a mortgage company has a fiducial responsibility to it's customers. They should be able to be trusted. I believe they intentionally ensnared people, basically dangling a carrot. There used to be laws to protect people from such. You oughta not have to hire a lawyer to buy a house. I'm sure most realtors can be trusted, and most mortgage companies, but I see proof that there still needs to be laws to rein in the outlaws. I saw a storefront sales office in front of a new subdivision. Painted on the window was "NEW HOMES 500$ A MONTH". Now I know and you know that that was a misleading advertisement, there had to be a catch, but to someone wanting the American dream so bad, and they went in and got misled by the salesman, and then given a mortgage from a lender who knew the borrower was going to lose the home in a year, I call that deceit.

Truth,

Take a look at those homes. No catch to get in at $500 down. The builder is also financing the mortgage so he can do this. And the price of these homes is so low, it is cheaper than renting. That neighborhood will look run down in 3 years. I see this everywhere in Houston and other areas.

We don't need laws to protect us from our own selfishness or poor financial judgement. We are on our own. Yes, there were some mortgage lenders that took every loan they possibly could. But for the most part, the buyers knew where they stood financially and took it upon themselves to purchase too much home. Along with buying furniture, new cars and clothes on credit. It was not just the mortgage that is their downfall financially. It is the willingness of these buyers to buy everything needed to fill that home and garage with items purchased on credit. When the mortgage rates climbed, or they lost jobs, they were not only carrying a $200,000 mortgage, but over $10,000 in revolving credit card debt. Not to mention two car payments that average $600/month each.

So to accuse corporations of swindling these people is off course. As I said, there were some mortgage companies that funded these loans, but for the most part, lending requirements are, and were, tight. It is the mentality of materialism that is the downfall of many of these homeowners. I was a loan officer years ago and saw this everyday. People can afford the house, but after a year, they have racked up so much credit card debt, and bought new cars, they were overextended. Then all it takes is one hiccup and all is gone.

Also, read my previous post about our local economy.

Brodave,

I agree with you 100%! You are absolutely right that not only the mortgage companies but Realtors, and real estate attorneys have a fiducial responsibility to their clients!! As a matter of fact, that is standard practice article number 1 on our Code of Ethics under duties to clients and customers. It reads:

When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an agent, REALTORS® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client.

It goes on to say that we are obligated to tell our clients/customers that they are free to obtain legal counsel.

Deceptive practices hurt everyone involved. Actually, approx. 2 weeks ago I released myself from a transaction on the day of close because I felt that there was deceptive practices being performed by the lender. I felt that it was in the best interest of myself and my broker to not be a party of a transaction that even remotely resembled anything deceptive (in this case mortgage fraud). Upon looking more deeply into the matter the selling agent also withdrew herself from the transaction as well. Of course, we would have both loved to have closed the transaction and obtained our commission that we earned (plus much more on this particular transaction) after working on this deal since January but it simply was not the right thing to do. Buying this home and getting tangled into this web was not at all in the best interest of my client and I could not be a party to it and risk litigation or worse...you win some and you lose some but it all comes back in the end. If you are practicing deceptively and not putting your client's best interest first it will come back to haunt you (exactly what happened to the subprime market!) and on the flip side if you are putting your client first that will pay you in tenfolds as well!

Salt,

I agree with you as well. Ultimately in the end, it is the consumer's responsibility for their own actions and debt. However, we do owe it to them to be honest, straightforward and not make a decision based on our own monetary gains from the transaction...which unfortunately is what a lot of these subprime lenders did as well as some Realtors and nonethical builders. Which is a shame because in my opinion, this is the best industry there is to be in and it truly does not deserve the negative feedback that these offenders have caused!

wow, this is great, both sides of the story back to back. Seems there are always two sides to any story. It's rare to see them side by side.

Yes Magnolia. There does need to be ethical and honest practices but that is not always the case. As a professional you are apt to catch these before the buyer, but if we look at most of the defaulting loans, the buyer was aware of their situation and still signed the papers.

Being an election year, these issues are more in the national forefront than they would be if it weren't. I hear the Democrats asking for assistance to the homeowners who are defaulting on their mortgages. This is not right. And there are laws and guidelines already in place to protect the homebuyers and sellers. I don't want to pay for someone else's financial mistakes. Just like I don't want to carry a family of six on welfare because mom won't get a job. All morgages are federally regulated and backed so again, the laws are in place and followed. For the most part. It is the buyer who needs to ask themselves, can I afford the home and all the stuff I need to fill it? Can I afford the utilities, insurance and taxes? The Romans said it well, "caveat emptor". Now 2000 years later, we still follow our wants, not our needs.

The research and statistics done so far on the rising subprime and mortgage forclosures shows that 85% of the defaulting loans were funded without deception. And done so with the strictest guidelines. The other 15% were ARM's, 100%, 105% and even 110% loans. And a high percentage of these were backed by local housing assistance programs, like those Baytown and Harris County provide. These programs have strict income and financing guidelines. And their default rate is higher than that of standard loans. There is something to be learned from this.

The majority of the problems and foreclosures are due to poor judgement on behalf of the buyers, not the realtors and lenders. As I said, there are, and were, deceptive and unethical people out there. But the majority of the responsibility lies in the hands of the buyer.

brodave,

I was a loan officer at one time. Now on the construction end as a manufacturer of product, I have seen it all. So has Magnolia. But the great thing about all this, we both agree, for the most part.

Well said Salt Dog! I have enjoyed this discussion. It is really nice when you can have a great conversation about a not so great subject. Many different sides to this but it all comes down to everyone being held responsible for their own actions.

Thank you Magnolia Hill and Salt Dog. I've been saying this all along. I am not a realtor, in the building industry, nor a lendor. Therefore, my thoughts were purely from what I've gathered and researched over the years.

I do however have concerns about foreclosures. I've wanted to invest. Therefore, having the means to do so, I've looked at homes all across Texas. Particularily the foreclosed homes. A huge percentage of those homes have major problems. They are not good investments.

Why are the people allowed to trash and ruin those homes? Secondly, why are the lending institutions setting a huge cap on those homes. You have to go through an arduous process in order to acquire one. The lending institutions take their merry time to reply. Additionally, they generally refuse any reasonable offers. Example: If they have set a price on the home at $159, 500, the lendors generally want $159,500 or $159,000. They do not take into account that the homes are completely trashed and that the investor would have to put in an additional sum of $50,000 or more in order to get it back up to livable conditions. That to me means greed.

Greed. No. They are making the investment until the buyer pays off the loan. They are the ones bearing all financial responsibility until then. That is why they do this.

To respond to your comment on why people are allowed to trash the home. Ordinances and HOA deed restrictions. These need to be in place. Such as the new Parking ordinance by the City. This is a step in the right direction in ensuring that property values will hold and increase. And it is a way to keep homeowners from letting their properties fall into dismay. But when these laws are put into place, everyone complains. They want the change, but not when it affects them. As the saying goes, a few bad apples spoil the bunch. As is the case in the housing industry right now.

Magnolia, yes good conversation and topic.

I know someone who I have helped move several times. Everytime they move into a new apartment, it looks like new, fresh paint, carpet new or just been cleaned, basically spotless. When I help them move out 3 months later, the place is unbelievably trashed, looks like it's been ransacked for 5 years. I'd hate to think what some of these foreclosures look like inside.

KBR also filed chapter 11 after 2 billion dollars of asbestos litigations were placed under their name.

Several hundred technical positions were lost during the same time frame that Enron occurred.

Just another one on the list Saltdog

With all due respect, I disagree. The ordinances and HOA restrictions are primarily for the "outside" visual appearance. I was referring to the inside of the homes. Ripped out carpet, damaged holes in the walls, ripped out ceilings, countertops bashed. Filth beyond comprehension in the inside. Outwardly they could pass as decent, that would be about 1/3. The others are trashed with ripped out building components, hardware, heaters, decks and many of them have cracked foundations (that would be about 15%). I don't think you really understood. Perhaps you scanned through my comment and didn't read it in its entirety. I know that I didn't explain that it was primarily inside. That could be one basis on why you responded in that manner. Additionally, I've been looking at foreclosed homes for about 10 years. I've been told repeatedly by realtors that it is the lending institutions that are setting the value on the foreclosed homes. They have a specific amount they need in order to recoup their loss. All they are doing is holding up the cash payers, those that really want to negotiate. But there is no flexibility. Is someone lying? Just curious.

One more thing. Not many people have an LOC (letter of credit) stating they have the cash funds to purchase their bid. Most have to scramble to acquire the financial backing. You would think serious buyers would be taken into consideration. All it does is make someone who is tough like me, wash my hands of the deal. Will not be manipulated into buying a "lemon".

Happy,

Here is a HUGE problem with foreclosures. People are in their new home that most likely they had no business owning in the first place (due to their budget). They love it, take pride in it, show it off to their friends, etc. Then all of a sudden the payment becomes due on a regular basis. At first, they normally are able to pay it (they are so excited to be in this grand home that they never, ever in a million years thought they could own so they make sure the payment is made...at least until everything else begins to snowball) but then over time it becomes harder and harder to make the payments, the stress begins to get to them, ownership pride is dwindling by the day and eventually they can't make the payment at all. While it can literally take months for a foreclosure to be complete the owner is fully aware that they are on the verge of losing their home. At this point they become ashamed, hurt but most of all angry. When this anger hits them they take it out on the home and cause as much damage as they can (another example of their level of immaturity that got them in this place to begin with by taking on a mortgage they could not afford). They are outraged at the bank for taking it and since it after all will be going back to the bank (unless it is a HUD home and most people do not know the difference) they want to cause the bank trouble for putting them in this position to begin with (when they actually did it to themselves). It really is sad to see the damage that is done by this hurt!

(part 2 is coming...it is too long for one post) ;o)

This is not always the case with a foreclosure. There are some foreclosures that happen because of true hardships in someone's life...but when these happen you typically do not see the damage that you are referring to. I do not list many foreclosures anymore (they are 10x more work than a traditional listing and less money most of the time but my best friend who is a Realtor and post on here as well only list foreclosures - I hope she will respond because her insight will most likely be far greater than mine!) but when I did, one of the steps is called "cash for keys". It basically is a program that the bank sets up and the Realtor negotiates with the owner to leave the property in a mature manner. The Realtor offers cash in exchange for keys. It is normally a small amount ($200-$600 or so) and they are to have all of their belongings moved out, the home cleaned and the keys turned over to the Realtor on an agreed date. Until you have actually done this, it is really hard for you to understand how heart wrenching it truly is!! Don't get me wrong, you still run into the ones that are stlll really angry and take it out on you, the Realtor too but for the most part if they are willing to negotiate with you they are going to be cordial when they meet you. The feeling you get when you look this person in the eyes and see the deep pain that losing their home has caused it really is tough (doesn't mean that I think they are not responsible for it and have to pay for their actions but I am still human and touched by their feelings)...anyway, that is a WHOLE other story! LOL! Back to the condition of the property...I hope that I explained it well enough as to why the homes are left the way that they are.

Now as to why it takes so long, the price of the home, negotiating, etc...

The bank hires a third party company that deals with BPO's and REO's (RE terms). They send out request to authorized Realtors, Brokers and Appraisers to value a property. The Realtor will go and perform a CMA (comparing like properties to the subject property) and submit what they think the property should be worth as-is and if repaired. Most of the time they send out several Realtors from different companies and sometimes even appraisers. They take all of the returned information along with past sales in the neighborhood, days on the market, etc and set the price based on the accumulated data. They assign it to an agent after the home has been winterized and a clean out performed (sometimes the Realtor is responsible for the clean out). The Realtor is then responsible for having the utilties on during the life of the listing, the yard maintained, HOA dues, etc. (Remember, I am talking about foreclosures not HUD homes - they work a bit differently). By this point, it has already taken the owners months to be evicted, the price opinions done, clean out performed, etc (which is why it takes so long for a foreclosure to actually hit the market). The bank has to take in account how much is left on the loan (and the majority of homes that are being foreclosed on now have a balance far greater than original purchase price because most of these owners financed 100% and rolled all of their closing cost into it.), taxes, insurance, closing cost, BPO fees, appraisals (if any were performed), clean out, reimbursement for utilities, etc. in order to know how much they can negotiate on the loan. I have found in my experience with foreclosures that you can normally get them to come off of the loan on average about 3%. One thing you must remember when referring to you being a cash buyer...in the end it is all cash to them. Regardless if you are financing or not, at the closing table they are given the money to pay off the loan whether it be directly from you or another lending institution. A plus to a cash buyer is closing cost for the seller is a tad bit less and they do not have to worry about a hiccup with the loan but they must determine if the chance of that hiccup is a small enough risk to take possibly a higher offer from a buyer with a loan or a smaller offer from a cash buyer...

You can not submit an offer on a foreclosure without already having your loan in place (approved) so if you are going to be scrambling you need to do it prior to making an offer...

WHEW...I can talk A LOT! I hope I helped in explaining it better. It is a long drawn out process that everyone of us gets hurt in and it is a shame that the American Dream of owning a home has hurt so many simply from a lack of education and being responsible for your own actions.

This weekend, don't miss out on the 20th Annual Fine Rides Show!!

Festivities start Friday 4/18 at 6pm - the rides come rolling in..... live music starts at 8.... bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the free family fun!

Saturday there is more live music to be performed by The Legends Band, Rockin Rod's Oldies Revue & "Elvis" impersonator Randy Henson. Trophies and awards to be given out at 3:30.

Bring out the whole family for a day of family fun and relive the memories that the music and cars bring back. We'll be looking for you!